KUALA LUMPUR, (Bernama) -- It has been a rather peculiar year in 2017 for the global economy and predominantly the international pacts, where once advocators for free and open trade have turned protectionists, fanning anti-globalisation sentiment and an inward-looking mindset.

Amid this backdrop that has been sweeping through the advanced economies of Europe and United States, developing nations such as China, India and ASEAN nations have instead been forward looking towards embracing multilateralism and committing to free trade and globalisation.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had during the recent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Vietnam, voiced concern over the rise of anti-globalisation within the grouping which ran contrary to its original aspiration.

KUALA LUMPUR, (Bernama) -- The year 2017 has been declared as the ‘Start-up and Promotion’ year for the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and indeed it has been a booming year with opportunities aplenty.

It was a year that was filled with activities including the advent of the Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ) and Leading Entrepreneur Accelerator Platform (LEAP) Market to help thrust the SMEs forward.

Yet it was not without its challenges as the SMEs continued to face challenging times due to the volatile and uncertain economy that could curb growth and prospects.

KUALA LUMPUR, (Bernama) -- Airlines in Malaysia had a good 2017, thanks to an accommodating operating environment, given the strong tourism growth and a continued depressed oil market throughout most of the year.

Minority Shareholder Watchdog Group (MSWG) Chief Executive Officer, Devanesan Evanson said furthermore, the strengthening of the ringgit vis-à- vis the greenback since early 2017 also favoured airlines with regard to fuel and other operating costs priced in US dollars.

“Among the key challenges faced by airlines in Malaysia during the year were increasing operating costs and intensifying competition from capacity expansion,” he told Bernama.

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) -- The year has been kind to Malaysia as its economy strengthened amid a confluence of taunting domestic and external factors which include the low commodity prices and weak currency.

Most economists have been very cautious over the evolving economic outlook at the outset of the year and this was especially true in the context of rising protectionist policies in the US and populism sentiment globally, which could potentially set the world’s growth into a tailspin, had they materialised.

The ongoing Brexit negotiations and a series of elections in major European countries such as France and Germany threatened to further divide the European Union amid uncertainty in global oil prices as supply glut continues to shape the oil and gas industry.

KUALA LUMPUR, (Bernama) -- With the introduction of the e-hailing system legislation for ride-sharing services and the government's initiatives to extend and upgrade existing public transport, Malaysia's transportation industry in 2017 has rapidly evolved from what it was a year ago, to introduce a new era for a more efficient transportation network to reduce congestion and improve the quality of life.

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